A Collection: Aviation & Space Arcade Cards

In the 1960s, my family often made summer day trips to the beaches and boardwalks of the South Jersey shore–Atlantic City, Wildwood, Cape May, and most especially Ocean City. The boardwalks were Wonderland to me, full of delights–flame-broiled Taylor Pork Roll and mugs of ice-cold birch beer, animated miniature golf courses, the smell of fresh-roasted nuts and fudge, labyrinthine amusement piers, long-haired girls in bathing suits, and noisy, mysterious arcades.

I went to the arcades for Skee-Ball, target shooting, and pinball. But I eventually discovered the machines dispensing postcard-sized black and white photos–each machine having cards with its own theme. Uncharacteristically, I missed the machines offering starlets and strippers. Instead, I went for the cards which featured aircraft–most of which had first appeared in the 1950s and were already outdated, but which were largely still new and exotic to me. Somehow most of my little collection survived the years, and I’m now working on completing my sets.

Two 64-card aviation sets were produced by Exhibit Supply Co. of Chicago. The earlier bears the notice “Printed in U.S.A.” on the front; the later bears “Made in U.S.A.” Otherwise, the sets are indistinguishable, with blank backs and one or two lines of identifying caption on the face. (If the number box for a card is aqua, I still need that card.)

Last updated March 04, 2014

“Printed in U.S.A.” Series

“Made in U.S.A.” Series

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Subject/Caption

Spotter’s Guide

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Subject/Caption

Spotter’s Guide

1

Lockheed F-94C Starfire
USAF Jet Interceptor

1

Lockheed F94

2

Douglas A4D Skyhawk USN
Smallest and Lightest Jet Combat Airplane

2

Douglas F3D Skynight
Twin Jet Fighter US Navy

3

Convair’s Convair-Liner 340
44-Passenger 300 MPH Transport
Built by Convair, a Division of
General Dynamics Corp.